The Australian Sports Anti-Doping Authority is considering its options after the AFL cleared 34 players of any misconduct in the long-running Essendon doping scandal.
ASADA Chief Executive Ben McDevitt told media in Canberra the Authority would consider whether to appeal the decision after carefully examining the report by the AFL Anti-Doping Tribunal, ABC News reports.
Mr. McDevitt said that an appeal is still a “very live option” for ASADA, and that the Authority was “eagerly awaiting” the outcome of the investigation into the architect of the supplements regime, Stephen Dank.
“Stephen Dank was the alleged architect here and so it will be very interesting to see what the findings are, and what the reasons behind those findings are from the tribunal,” Mr. McDevitt said.
The findings of that investigation would “certainly enable us to make a more informed decision” on whether an appeal would be viable, he added. The outcome of the investigation into Dank is expected to be made public some time after Easter.
Mr McDevitt reiterated his harshest judgement for the Essendon Football Club, describing the club’s actions as “utterly disgraceful”.
“In particular, I feel for the Essendon fans who were so poorly let down,” Mr McDevitt said.
ASADA has 21 days to decide whether it will appeal the decision to exonerate 34 past and present Bombers players of any wrongdoing in the scandal, which is now in its third year.
The World Anti-Doping Authority (WADA) has a further 21 days to appeal after that, and said that it would based its actions on those of ASADA.
